Outdoor activities in Fort William

The Fort William Marathon is a new marathon for the Lochaber area. This new marathon is a multi-terrain route starting and finishing at Nevis Range. The course takes in the sights of Leanachan Forest, the old railway viaduct, General Wade's High Bridge, The Commando Memorial, Caledonian Canal, and of course Ben Nevis.

Step aboard the Waverley - the last seagoing Paddle Steamer in the world & the classic cruise ship Balmoral. The Waverley visits Fort William on the May Bank Holiday every year and takes day trippers down the water to Oban, Mull and Iona, on a wonderful sea-trip where the scenery is outstanding. The vessel has several lounges and a restaurant.

If you are looking for a Ben Nevis Mountain Guide, Adventure Nevis is a Scottish-based guiding service offering classic mountain days on Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, standing at 1,344 metres. The Ben Nevis mountain footpath ascent - 6 to 8 hours - is ideal for public, private and charity groups. For the slightly more experienced walker, Ben Nevis via the CMD arete - 8 to 10 hours - is a fantastic mountaineering experience. Adventure Nevis is owned and operated by Peter Khambatta. Peter has over 20 years' experience and holds both Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Awards. To check availability and to tell me about yourself or group, please complete the form below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Traigh Golf Course welcome visitors and is “Probably the most beautifully sited nine hole Golf Course in the world” (says The Scotsman newspaper).  It was recently made world famous by a large sinkhole that opened up on the course. The sinkhole has now been safely repaired and the course is playing better than ever - complete with a new grassy bunker! Traigh Golf Course is known as "one of the most scenic golf courses in Scotland" (say BBC) and is located 40 miles west of Fort William. The word Traigh (pronounced “Try”) means beach in gaelic, and the course lies beside sandy beaches and rocky islets, with spectacular views to the islands of Eigg and Rhum, and to the Cuillins of Skye. Golf has been played at Traigh since about 1900, but the old layout was rather cramped, and the course was enlarged and greatly improved in 1994. It was redesigned by the well known golf architect Mr. John Salvesen, with assistance from Mr. James MacDonald, Head Greenkeeper at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, who is a native of Arisaig. The feature of the course is a line of grassy hills, originally sand dunes, which rise some sixty feet, and the first hole demands a skilful tee shot to the top. At the second, a long drive is needed, to get from one summit to the next. The third drops down towards the beach, while the fourth passes between two gorse covered hills to a beautifully positioned green. The fifth hole crosses a broad burn - broader still at high tide - and the sixth comes back across the burn in a tricky dogleg par four The seventh - which was the location of the sinkhole - is a long par five, while the eighth climbs back to the top of the hill, and the glorious view, and the ninth drops down again to the beach and the clubhouse. Golfers Information Visitors are always welcome. Clubs are available for hire. Golf clubs, balls, tees, gloves and clothing are on sale at the clubhouse. Advance booking is only required for larger parties. Fees should be paid at the clubhouse, or if it is closed put in the Honesty Box. How to find us Traigh lies two miles north of Arisaig, six miles south of Mallaig and forty miles west of Fort William. Take the A830 main road to Arisaig, then follow the coastal road (B8008) two miles north. There is a signpost to the course on the A830. Park across the road from the white Clubhouse. Visit Fort William also recommends Fort William Golf Club, Spean Bridge Golf Club and the Dragon's Tooth course at Ballachulich

Board Souter’s Lass for a wonderful cruise down Loch Linnhe and enjoy the breath-taking scenery of Lochaber. With our unique and informative skipper’s commentary, you may well see some of Scotland’s best wildlife including the family of porpoise who live in Loch Linnhe, salmon, common and grey seals, heron, red deer, otter and maybe even a golden eagle. You will also cruise past Britain’s tallest mountain and appreciate one of the most unique views of the southern slopes of Ben Nevis. From March to October cruises depart daily at 10am, noon, 2pm and 4pm; numbers and weather permitting. Call 01397 700174 to book. Prices are £15 per adult and £7.50 per child. A Family ticket is £42.00. Children under 5 go free. During the summer we also provide evening cruises, so you can enjoy the same sites of Lochaber while the sun sets. In 2015 these will be on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm. Souter’s Lass benefits from a comfortable and spacious all-weather viewing lounge with a bar serving a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks, plus handy restrooms, which means that everything you need for a great trip is onboard. Use the contact form below to get in touch with any enquiries.

We offer a range of all-inclusive hobby-based and creative leisure breaks in some of the most stunning locations on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Staying at top quality hotels, enjoy a few days indulging in your passion, hobby or artistic profession. Workshops are being added all the time, but include ceramics, photography, writing, machine embroidery, painting, batik, felting, stitching, bushcraft and more! Why not build a longer family or group holiday around one of our courses? All workshops are led by enthusiastic professionals with proven expertise in their field, who will lead you through their subject with skill, patience and fun! Class sizes are kept small, and most workshops are suitable for all levels of ability. Specific subjects or formats can be created for groups. Take inspiration from our beautiful landscape, and treat yourself to some quality creative "me-time"!

At Lochaber Guides we pride ourselves in offering our clients a unique and unforgettable experience in the Scottish Mountains. From meeting you at the start of your trip to taking the final few steps, our highly experienced, professional and qualified guides will be there to look after you and give you a trip to remember! Being a small company, we like to offer our clients a personalised touch. That may mean meeting you the night before for an informal chat about your trip with us the following day, picking you up and dropping you off at your accommodation, or joining you for a celebratory drink after your successful day in the mountains. We specialise in guided ascents of Ben Nevis: For those wishing to take a walking route to the summit, we can guide you on the Mountain Track or the more challenging but spectacular Carn Mor Dearg Arete. We also offer guiding on some of the classic mountaineering/scrambling routes on Ben Nevis such as Ledge Route and the outstanding Tower Ridge ! For those wishing to do some rock climbing on the UK’s highest mountain, North East Buttress and Observatory Ridge are fantastic routes to the summit. · In nearby Glencoe, the spiritual home of Scottish Mountaineering, we can offer guiding on some of the areas classic scrambles such as Curved Ridge on Buachaille Etive Mor or the (in)famous Aonach Eagach Ridge! As well as these technical routes, we can guide you on walks in Glencoe to suit all levels of experience. We run courses in Hill skills, for those taking their first steps into the hills, as well as courses in scrambling, for the walkers who wish to become mountaineers! We also offer courses in Rock Climbing for all levels, ranging form beginners, to those wishing to lead multi-pitch climbs.   Further afield, we can guide you on the mighty Cuillin Ridge on Skye with days ranging from bagging the Munros, some classic scrambles or the full Cuillin Ridge Traverse. Winter -The popular Ben Nevis in Winter trip -Guided Munro walking -Winter Skills Courses- 1 day or 2 day or tailor made -Ben Nevis Winter Weekend- a day of skills followed by a day climbing the UK's Highest Peak in Winter! Lochaber Guides is run by Dave Anderson. Dave holds Mountaineering Instructors Award (MIA), the highest UK instructional award for Summer mountaineering/climbing. He also holds the Winter Mountain Leader Award. More importantly though, he is super friendly and has a true passion for the mountains and his enthusiasm shines through. Whether you are new to the mountains or experienced we are here to help you fulfil your goals in a safe, friendly and professional way. Adventure Awaits... www.lochaber-guides.co.uk

Rockhopper Sea Kayaking is based near Fort William on the West Coast of Scotland. We offer half, full or multi-day kayak trips through some of the most spectacular coastal, mountain and island scenery in Scotland. This area is rich in wildlife and you may be lucky enough to encounter seals, dolphins, porpoise, otters, a huge variety of coastal birds or perhaps even the white tailed sea eagle. Whether new to the sport or an experienced sea kayaker, we will provide an unforgettable experience. Our Sea kayaks are long, stable and easy to control and we have large double kayaks available for youngsters or those who are a little apprehensive. All equipment is provided by us. Families, groups and individuals are all welcome. We also provide a canoe hire service and equipment.

The Barmouth to Fort William Three Peaks Yacht Race combines yachting and mountain running and cycling into one of the greatest adventure challenges in British sport. Five team members are allowed, comprising a combination of sailors and runners, their aim is to sail from Barmouth, on the Welsh coast, to Fort William in Scotland, via Caernarfon and Whitehaven, climbing Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis on the way. Sailing through some of the Scotland's most beautiful and sometimes wildest, scenery, the final leg ends with the shortest and steepest run of the entire race finishing at the entrance to the Caledonian Canal. The entire race involves a total of 389 miles of difficult coastal sailing, 26 miles of cycling and 72 miles of running, with approximately 14,000 feet of ascent, including 2000 feet between Ennerdale and Scafell Pike, to reach the highest points in Wales, England and Scotland. Set in 2002 the race record stands at 2 days 14 hours and 4 minutes but teams have until 1800 on Saturday to finish the race. Generally most teams make the end of race party on Thursday evening, competitors sometimes opting to complete the Ben Nevis run the following morning. The Three Peaks Yacht Race attracts some of the world's best sailors and runners, as well as teams who hope just to complete the course, which is a considerable achievement in its own right. The 2011 race starts from Barmouth on Saturday June 25th and the 2012 race on Saturday June 16th. Boats arrive in Corpach from around the Tuesday after the start.

Choosing a cycle tour is a unique (and we think the best!) way to discover Fort William, and the Highlands beyond. The Carter Company offers a stunning 8 night guided cycling holiday, with set departure dates, which starts and ends in Fort William. The Scottish Highlands are world renowned for their stunning scenery and the west coast, where this tour begins, features peaceful and idyllic lochs, majestic mountains in Ben Nevis, the dramatic Glencoe Pass, and a coastline dotted with a myriad of islands. The Outer Hebrides are some of the most remote, with astonishingly beautiful white sandy beaches and isolated dwellings. Linked by a string of ferry hops, the tour also featured the inner Hebridean island of Skye before returning to the mainland town of Fort William. You might think that, alas, this is not the place for gentle cycling. And you would be correct - but for the vehicle support we provide as part of this guided tour. We have created an itinerary where you can avoid cycling any big, or even medium, sized hills and any main roads. We are very pleased with the route we have designed and its close historical links with the infamous Bonnie Prince Charlie, its blend of castles, local crafts, fishing culture and seafood and its unsurpassed landscapes. We know that you will be pleased too - this is a unique experience not to be missed! On this tour, you will cycle with your Scottish host and guide who will share his local knowledge and make sure a fun time is had by all. Our driver will be sweeping your route and providing vehicle support along the way as well as fixing any bike problems and generally adding to the fun.

Mudrock Adventure All year round Mountain Biking and Mountaineering Adventures in Scotland. We are based in Fort William on the West coast of Scotland which means we have access to some of the best Mountain Biking and summer and winter Mountaineering in the U.K. Our aim at Mudrock is to develop your confidence and personal skills in an adventurous but safe environment. If you are new to Mountain Biking or Mountaineering, or even if you have some experience and want to learn more, we will build the adventure around you and what you want. At Mudrock we work towards sustainable Adventure, always respectful of the wild environment in which we work. We deliver adventure through Mountain Biking and Mountaineering that will advance your personal skills and enable you to progress and take on your own adventures. Mudrock Adventure can arrange bike and equipment hire for you. Please have a look at our website www.mudrockadventure.co.uk for more information on what we can offer.  Here are some adventures that could be yours.  Mountain Biking at Nevis Range the local trail centre and host of the British and World Cup Series. Mountain Biking from Corrour train station the highest mainline railway station in the U.K.  Rock Climbing and Scrambling on Ben Nevis the U.K. highest mountain. Mountain Biking and Mountaineering in the remote and wild environment that Scotland has to offer. Your AdventureYour Journey 

Laser Clay Shooting   Fun! Skilled!  Addictive! The laser sport system uses real deactivated Berretta single trigger 12 Bore shotguns fitted with state of the art electronic gadgetry! The clays are released from a standard electronic trap and participants aim at them just as they would under normal clay pigeon shooting conditions, however when they pull the trigger, the gun fires an infra-red beam at the clay targets. This beam then bounces from the clay back to the electronic scoreboard which registers a “hit” or a “miss” on the scoreboard with a loud “bang” coming from the speakers. Whilst the guns are entirely safe, good gun protocol is always encouraged and there is also none of the painful “kickback” that you might experience from using real shotguns. One of the advantages of Laser Clay Pigeon shooting over standard Clay Pigeon shooting is that all participants (up to 5) can shoot at each clay at the same time, enabling all to an enjoyable activity shooting up to 80 clays in any one session. Even though it is not the same as the real thing, it is safe and good fun for all, and should anyone want to take it further Laser Clay shooting is an idea stepping stone to traditional Clay pigeon shooting.